Sitting on the black stool, textured leather that covered the plush but firm seat of the piano stool. The keys of black and white layer out in front of me, teasing and full of false truth.
'Life is not black and white'
This was the quickest way. I comforted myself and tried to get myself to at least start playing on the smooth keys of the Bechstein.
Scales, I played the scales of all keys, starting very slowly at about 60 beats and each note quaver.
Then slowly moved up, going through major, harmonic and melodic.
It felt awkward, my left hand was playing quicker then my right so I decided to do left hand only. I slowly built up the speed, my stamina was not very good but the accuracy of the strength in the fingers was already subconsciously built in.
I played one of the slower pieces - Orchestral suite no3 in D major air on G.
It was a piece that was slow but required more control in the playing.
Slowly then I moved to some of the faster pieces like - Debussy Arabesque.
Then going to the even faster ones - Ravel Sonatine first movement.
It was a slow journey but I eventually got there, one practice session, that lasted a few hours.
My parents couldn't hear me because their rooms were all soundproof. One of the perks!
Now my left hand is sort of up to standard.
I went directly up to my room and tried to sleep as soon as possible so that I could wake up early tomorrow and hopefully not waste the daylight.
...
My droopy self woke up with eyes that wanted to stay closed and a body that wanted to stay in the comfort of the blacker.
I forced myself to get up, pulling the sheets and just getting up and ignoring everything my body said.
I managed fine, the time was about 7am, not too bad. I went to go prepare my stuff and myself.
I brushed my teeth, put on some cloths, brought a bag ( which I was going to leave on the car ) with my laptop, reports on the case, my phone and wireless earphones.
I zipped up my back and sent a message to Mark requesting a ride.
Again I forgot to brush my hair, I remembered that when I saw, you guessed it, Mark's nearly brushed hair.
His suites were getting more and more expensive and I was a happy man to see that.
Looks like he was ascending slowing through the ranks back up to where he should be.
The middle class.
"Good morning sir,"
"Good morning to you too Mark,"
"Where are you planning to go today?"
Mark was preparing the limousine while turning on the car.
"Go to Illara street, NW off the suburb of Humi."
Mark was typing in the destination while I was getting my laptop out to play some games.
I didn't really know what else to do, the hacking was impossible for a person of my level and there wasn't anything else other then that.
The location we arrived at was a normal but isolated house, it looked like a holiday house for relaxation.
There were no major roads nearby but minor ones that lead to some of the local shopping centres.
Other then that the place was quite remote. Far off buildings and some nice greenery around the area.
It was old and looked a few decades off of maintenance.
Well hidden as well as also a natural habitat now. I went around the perimeter of the house to check everything out. Quite a normal layout, a bit outdated but still something that I'm familiar with. Most houses will follow a template that was created for other houses in the vicinity for an aesthetically pleasing but most fitted design for that specific area.
All the templates looked quite similar and this one, though it may be old, is still one I recognise.
The veranda at the front was full of cobwebs, holes and other things alike, it wasn't a pleasant sight to see nature taking its course.
I went up the stairs and Mark was waiting in the limousine for me to come back out.
The door creaked open as I pushed it open, dust fells and sprinkled my cloths. Inside I could barely see but I could tell the main room was packed.
I reached out to the side for a light switch.
It clicked and the lights flickered to life, the room was a complete mess.
There were materials in here that were internationally sourced and some were just scrap metal parts.
It was a range of materials and upon a closer look, tools as well. This was probably a warehouse but Natalia might be here.
The materials might if just been a cover for a kidnapping. At this point all I know is that my opponents are actual intelligent humans and not arrogant monkeys who think they know how to kidnap.
That's a relief but bother for me.
Now I have to actually bother getting this girl for Yuuta from actual intelligent people. Sigh, life is so unfair.
I went in further through the giant scrap piles. There were heaps of hiding places within them but I decided to check out the entire place first.
I went through the first door way, this time the door was stiff.
I pushed with my body weight and the stiff door burst open with dust falling everywhere. I walked through as soon as the majority of dust was gone and looked at the contradicting room. It was totally clean, there wasn't a scrap of metal anywhere. I turned in the lights and confusion hit me, it looked like a room that was recently professionally cleaned!
Shiny wooden floors, clean white walls, not a speck of dust on the lights. This was the end of the house and it was just a rectangular room. No kitchen no other things, it was room where I could just see everything at the doorway.
I went to go switch of the lights so that I could go back to sort through the scrap pile. When I looked at the light switch that my hand was about to click I noticed an indent in the wall around it.
Based on the shaped it was either purposefully put there to push or pull or was an accident when installing this switch.
I pushed it, it made a clicking sound like metal on metal then there was a sliding sound of bricks. On the other side of the doorway there was a passageway.
It was a roughly carved out door from the bricks, of course with this creepy looking house I just had to go in.
I could see the brick shapes and the cement on the walls in the passageway and it went left. There were lights lighting up the whole way through, flickering in the dark like fire.
To my surprise there were no stairs going down or any other turns. It just went left. This baffled my mind, how could something go in one direction without in being noticeable on the exterior of the building.
My feet scrapped with each step on the concrete floor and the echos got bigger. Finally I arrived at a room. The whole place was concrete and it looked like the room I was in when I got kidnapped except there were no hooks on the walls and no other doorway leading out.
It's another trap, I can see it coming, but who cares.
I walked on to inspect the room looking for any other trigger buttons or knobs. Anything that will give me a clue on direction.
These people were playing with me! They lead me into traps because they knew I'd find the location.
I knew Natalia wasn't here when I inspected the rooms so I headed back the way I came with a hasty speed walk.
I swear if this passageway shuts on me!
Bam!
The passageway sounded as it completely sealed off.
"Arrrrrgh," My sound of annoyance echoed in the room.
Of course it would shut on me, of course!
I circled around the room, ok then where are the fires and assassins.
I already have a burnt hand what else you people going to give me.
Haven't even got to the end of year 8 and I've already gotten a healing burn on my hand and a scar on my arm.
Another sliding door sounded and what came out gave a bit of a chuckle. Ah the cliches.
A tiger came out, it was slim and very weak, a starved tiger against an unarmed human.
The door sealed shut again and all of a sudden this room became a silent arena.
The tiger growled as it stalked me.
A silent pounce was all it wanted to do.
I arms went up into a defensive mode.
Pounce.
Dodge, just barely as I dived to the side
Pounced again right after.
I was vulnerable in this position
I rolled but the tigers feet went down and gave a brutal scratch to the face. It missed the eye but it's going to leave another scar.
Then I remembered something as I rolled, a hard rectangular shape stopped my roll from being fast enough.
My phone!
I took it out as I stood up and went back into defensive with one hand and was dialling a number with the other.
The phone call ended and the tiger was slowing down as it's energy was slowing depleting from throwing its big body into me.
The big beast beginning to accept its defeat as it laid down on the floor completely exhausted.
BOOM!
The walls on the far side exploded and I shielded the tiger from the particles with my back.
What can I say, tigers are an endangered species.
I went outside and told the men to stay outside. I went to the truck that was parked nearby and got out a price of soft meat and some water with a water holder.
I went back inside and dropped prices of the meat in front of the tiger and busied myself with filling the container with water.
I put that in front of the tiger, it looked at me cautiously while inching towards the food and water.
It's head bent down to chomp down the meat, for a split second there was a sheen of blue on its fur. I thought I was imagining things, this type of thing was impossible.
It stood up and looked at me then let out a low grunt.
Walking out the tiger which was a he, as I saw when he was starting a sprint as it headed away from the building.
Smart decision.
I headed out of the building in a dusty mess. I was covered in blood, bruises and scratches once again. Looks like it's back to the medical centre! Fun...